Passive optical networks (PONs), such as Ethernet PONs (EPONs), can be used to provide access and aggregation services to a large number of customers. A single optical line terminal (OLT) of a service provider can serve multiple optical network units (ONUs) of customers in an EPON. These customers and their services can each be uniquely identified by a logical link identifier (LLID). Each of these LLIDs can require independent (Operations, Administration, and Maintenance) OAM processing. For example, OAM protocols can be used to monitor activity on a link and can detect when a link is active or inactive. These protocols specify bidirectional verification of the activity of the link. For example, an ONU can transmit at least one OAM protocol data unit (PDU) per second for each LLID as a “heartbeat” frame, and the OLT can determine that the link between the ONU and the OLT is still active after it receives this PDU. Similarly, the OLT transmits one PDU per second to each ONU for every supported LLID as a heartbeat frame so that each ONU can determine that the link is still active for each LLID.
Although a transmission rate of one PDU per second is a relatively low rate per logical channel, the aggregate number across all LLIDs can require significant processing by the OLT. For example, an 8×10G EPON Media Access Control (MAC) can serve up to 16,000 LLIDs (e.g., because there are 2,000 LLIDs per ODN, and 8×10G configuration with 8 ODNs can serve 16,000 LLIDs). The number of LLIDs integrated per chip continues to increase in this market space, so an efficient method of processing OAM PDUs for a large number of LLIDs is needed. In addition, the EPON market has a significant amount of proprietary OAM formats derived from Link OAM (IEEE 802.3 clause 57), and this area continues to evolve. Therefore, what is needed is a flexible, scalable solution to the above-mentioned problems to accommodate future changes in the market.
Features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like reference characters identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. The drawing in which an element first appears is indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.